“Ah, Havard,” said Loki, “I did hope you’d see reason and join me. But right now, you remind me of a phrase from one of your world’s songs which I happen to like. A man who is too afraid to fly that he never did land.”
I knew it. He has at least a viewing portal somewhere. And he also uses it as a freaking radio? And what’s that song?
Suddenly, the deity’s mood shifted.
“But matters are what they are. An exciting game! A different one! Sweep your opponents off the board without touching the opposing main piece!” exclaimed Loki. Then he abruptly turned pensive. “I don’t think I’ve heard of such a game before.”
At the thought, the Trickster God immediately brightened up. “Imagine that! We’ve just invented a new game! Either of us might end up dead or painfully imprisoned for eternity, but they can’t take that away from us! We’re trailblazers, you and I!”
God help me. This is getting seriously off-track.
“And what do you plan to do now?” Tyler asked, halfheartedly trying to get the subject back to Loki’s plans. He had given up. Talking to Loki was like eating a bunch of unlabeled filled chocolates. One never really knew what the next flavor would be.
An insane god of mischief and evil. That’s who I am facing, realized Tyler. Even the squids had a clear purpose. Loki merely thinks he has one or deludes himself to believe he has something greater than ordinary havoc and mayhem.
“Well, that’s for me to execute and for you to find out!” announced the deity. “Happy hunting!”
Just like that, the scene shifted and Tyler found himself back on the outskirts of Fossegrim Forest.
***
Upon arrival, the mage held up his hand to stop questions from his worried companions and walked to a large stone. He sat down and looked at his friends.
“I need to think while what he said is still fresh in my mind,” explained the mage. The companions nodded and adopted a defensive formation around him.
That was one confusing experience. A Rorschach test come to life.
Loki obviously wanted Tyler to know he was indirectly responsible for the recent troubles besetting all the realms. The mage didn’t doubt the mad deity had more schemes now just unfolding beyond his knowledge. The mage’s cold detachment came into the forefront of his mind, washing away vestiges of fury and other emotional distractions that would hinder a calculated assessment of the situation.
First, the mage focused on the assumption that though peculiarly insane, Loki didn’t do or say anything without reason. His appearance now and the statements he made were calculated to obtain some kind of response, decision, or way of thinking. But Tyler was at a loss on what was the end game of the deity. The attack on Asem had been intended to trigger a reaction from Kemet and draw them into waging war in a faraway land.
A diversion of a strong ally from the northern chaos? he considered. Though I believe the war would sap Kemet’s strength as quickly as the desert heat. However, I doubt if that’s the only card Loki intended to play in that part of Adar. It couldn’t be that simple. The bastard evidently had created an extensive network of allies throughout Adar and its pantheons. If he couldn’t get them as allies, Loki would somehow provoke some kind of reaction of benefit to him – the invasion plans of Sutr and Ymir for example.
His thoughts shifted, now focused on the dokkalfr, his next concern. Promises to deities do have to be honored. Tyler knew he didn’t need another pissed-off powerful being. If Freyr gets mad, his sister Freyja would be too – a make one angry, and get two furious situation.
At least Ymir would have to reduce the dokkalfr first to secure his flank before he tries marching on Scarburg again. Fighting on the dokkalfr’s main turf would be difficult – mountains, defended underground cities, fortified tunnels, all that would take time. Yet Ymir wouldn’t commit everything to the Dokkalfr Mountains. He’s still the paranoid jotunn lord. He’ll keep a lot of forces on his border with Sutr and some in the area facing Scarburg. But once the dark elves are conquered, Eastern Skaney is good as gone. And the dwarves. But from what I remember of Jorund’s map, they would fall under the fire jotunn’s sphere of responsibility. Unfortunately, Sarva’s people would be in the middle of all this chaos.
As he sat thinking, a melodious voice broke his reverie.
“Havard!” He turned at Eira’s voice. The beautiful forest spirit, his wife, was there, walking toward him. The companions bowed. Suddenly, the young man forgot everything as he stood up and strode toward the long-missed comfort of those arms. He embraced his wife tightly and acutely felt the tightness of her welcome hug. Tyler lost himself in her presence, smelling her wondrous scent, feeling the texture of her skin. He was lost in the intoxicating air of Eira being in his arms. He was home. Tyler could feel the warm tears of his wife flowing down her face and into his neck. At that point in time, the world might end that instant, and he didn’t care.
He was home.
Epilogue
Threads
And after that, Loki hid himself in Franang’s waterfall in the guise of a salmon, and there the gods took him. He was bound with the bowels of his
